Hola Familia!
Yesterday Raquel and her daughters Jaqui and Jessica were baptized and it was so incredible! We had to work hard to help the mom overcome her doubts and realize that if she had a testimony of the Book of Mormon it meant that she needed to take the leap of faith to change her life and join the church. She was the one I wrote about a couple of weeks ago that told us that she couldn't get baptized. In a way the baptism was even sweeter, because we overcome that opposition and we could tell that she was so happy. I feel so close to that family, and it is so good to see them happy. Raquel gave us both a big hug after the baptism and thanked us for being patient with her. She had taken all of the discussions in the past, but had been dropped after being afraid to be baptized. It made me realize how important it is just to show someone that you believe in them, and ultimately believe in the atonement, and in the ability to gain the faith to do something hard. It has been incredible to see the Lord bless her and her family for their decision, and to hear her bear her testimony. The night before the baptism she prayed and thanked Heavenly Father for this opportunity, and said that she knows this is true, and that this is something that is good for her daughters. I love hearing our investigators sincere and heartfelt prayers and testimonies. It builds our faith as missionaries to see how Heavenly Father blesses them and fulfills his promises.
We had president interviews this week, which is a really nice opportunity to meet with him one on one. I think for the most part with a lot of missionaries he has to counsel them about their companionships, because that is mostly what he asks about. Things have been going so well with Hermana Salazar though. I've realized that I am so blessed that she has the ability to just "get it done," whereas I always want to think about things and analyze them and plan them almost too much. We make a pretty good team, because I help think things out and problem solve, but she keeps me from overanalyzing. It is going to be sad seeing her go this week. It is transfer day this Wednesday, and we won't find out what is going to happen until Tuesday night, but the only thing we know for sure is that sister Salazar has to be moved because this is her fifth month here, which is like the maximum. We're thinking that I will probably stay here, but we'll see.
We also found out from the President that the Visitor's Center is supposed to open this July. He told us that the reason there has been so many delays is not the building contractors, it has been because they are developing all new exhibits for inside that will be unique to this Visitor's Center. It is supposed to be all state of the art, really incredible exhibits. I am so excited for when it will open! I'm assuming there will probably be a big special opening event. All Visitors are encouraged, so if you happened to show up at the Visitors Center this July, they understand and it is ok apparently. In the Visitors Center training they told us that it actually happens pretty often that the sister missionaries will see people they know. I think it would be pretty weird, but I would be ok with it. Especially if I happened to see one particular new army marine that I'm not going to be able to see for the next two and a half years and that will happen to be in San Diego anyways. :) I'll keep you updated with when it actually opens.
We had a sisters conference this saturday at the mission home that was so much fun. Everything was decorated really cute with a catered breakfast served by the office elders and the mission president wearing pastel colored bow-ties and cumber buns. It was really funny. I love that our mission President has a good sense of humor. They had workshops about being healthy, maintaining our beautiful appearance (aka avoiding getting fat), and speaking spanish. It was really nice meeting a lot of the sisters. We are really isolated in Maywood because our area is so far away from the mission home. Its only about twenty minutes, but with traffic it can be over an hour. It is completely different in the patron apartments, which are right next to the mission home. A bunch of the missionaries get to play soccer together every morning and see each other all the time. That is where sister Stout is right now. It was nice to see her at the conference, and to talk about how things are going and the differences in our areas. It is crazy how much variety there is in this mission. Being transferred can feel like you are moving to an entirely different country.
We've been challenged a lot lately to study the atonement, and it is such an interesting and complicated subject. How is it that by suffering everything we suffered, Christ is able to help us? I've realized that a lot of the power comes from his ability to understand exactly what we are going through. I used to think that the atonement meant just that Christ suffered more than anyone had ever suffered, but I've since learned that it was actually very personalized and specific- he literally felt all of our personal pains, sufferings, temptations, and sins. ( See Alma 7:11-14. We use this scripture a lot to show people how Christ helps us.) What is it about understanding someone and their pain that is so powerful? How does that really help us? Why is is comforting knowing that someone felt what we felt? I think that it helps us know that we're not alone. We are part of something bigger. The ability to understand is what gives us the power to help others as well. It made me realize that in a way, if we were never to feel sorrow, pain, or temptation, than we wouldn't really be able to help others. Our adversity makes us stronger, and also makes us more capable to love, understand, and help others. I encourage all of you to follow the guidance from general conference and to also study the atonement. It is a powerful way to increase your understanding and will bless your life.
Les amo a ustedes muchisimo!
Hermana Dansie
Monday, April 26, 2010
Monday, April 19, 2010
Maywood: Semana 11 Beach P-Day! 4/19/10
Hola Querida Familia!
Where do I even start? This week has been incredible! I just got back from once a year Beach P-day with my zone, and it was so much fun! I thought it was going to be torturous, because they don't let you touch even the wet sand, but it was all planned out with a lot of fun activities. We played ultimate frisbee, volleyball, water balloon volleyball, and football. I have come to really love Volleyball, mostly because I got pretty good at it after playing everyday for eleven weeks in the MTC.
Yesterday at church we had the Sunday that every missionary dreams of. We had the cutest little family ever come with us- A mom and dad with their three adorable little children that all dressed up and even came early. We also had Mirna and her eighteen year old son Felix come. They are both very interested and read everything we give them and are preparing to get baptized on the 9th of next month. We also were surprised to have a man come that we met the other day. His name is Frank and he is about thirty and looks kind of like a gangster, but he is so excited and ready to learn about the gospel. He has changed his whole life around and has been wanting to learn about religion, and is so humble and amazing. He rode his bike to church even though he is still suffering from an old gunshot wound in his leg. (our area is pretty close to some really urban, ghetto areas like Compton- but not close enough to be dangerous, so don't worry.) They all loved church. It was fast and testimony meeting and the spirit was so incredibly strong. It was so amazing to see a lot of the members, less actives, and recent converts that we have been working with get up and bear their testimony. It was so crazy having almost more people than we could handle at the church, but it was such an incredible blessing. Any missionary knows how awful the feeling is of pacing outside in the foyer praying that their investigators will come to church, or better yet what we usually have to do is go and wake them up and help them get ready.
We also had a miracle this week with the Rodriguez family. They decided that they are ready to get baptized next Sunday! We've already taught them all of the lessons, and so we asked them to pray about it and they finally feel ready. They are such an amazing family! They came to the temple with Sunday afternoon to see the Joseph Smith movie. Once each transfer we go to present the movie and give temple tours, so our day was yesterday and they came, and we also had Ariadne (the girl who was baptized last month) and her grandma come to see the movie. The visitors center still isn't open, so they have a special living room type area in the mission home where we show the movie to investigators.
It was really interesting this week because last Monday I was thinking about my life and what I expect to happen after my mission, and I decided to just completely let go of every expectation of my future, and stop worrying or trying to control things so they will work out according to how I imagine them to be. After I made that decision to just completely trust in the Lord I feel like I was hit with this huge wave of success in the work. I still don't know how much it really is relating, but I do think that the Lord was trying to teach me the importance of truly trusting in him if i want to accomplish my purpose as a missionary. I've always wanted to come on a mission, and it is really interesting thinking about why and what drove me to come- especially when it has been hard and I haven't felt like I've been living up to my expectations for myself as a missionary. I think I realized that I can't do it on my own or control it at all really- if I have success it will be because the Lord blessed me with it. It is somewhat conditional, considering the Lord can only bless us when we are being obedient. When we are being obedient and when we are trusting him, then he can truly guide our lives.
This week also had an interesting mission "worst" for me so far- and that was the "worst and grossest thing I have ever had to eat in my mission/ life." We had some pasoli the other day, which in and of itself is not bad. It is kind of like a red soup, with these really big corn kernel things in it, and some sort of meat. I had it with chicken the other week and it was pretty good. This time though it was something else. I didn't ask at first- I just ate it. I assumed from the look and texture that it was probably menudo- which is cow stomach. So i prayed really hard and just ate it all. After i had eaten it, with a smile and showing my appreciation and gratitude, I commented how "I hadn't ever had menudo before, but I was surprised that it was pretty good." (yes, I lied. Well, the soup was really good- the meat was such a gross texture though- just like eating this quarter inch layer of fat). The Sister responded, "Actually that was pig ear, but yes it is pretty similar to menudo." I ate pig ear! I felt so gross for the entire day after. But I did it! I ate it. It is really important to eat all of the food they give you in order to have the support and love of the ward.
They really are so sweet and are such good cooks for the most part. The hardest thing is how much they give you. I feel so grossly stuffed after practically every dinner appointment, but at least they know that I love them. Part of it too is because I help Hermana Salazar out with eating hers. It is a sacrifice I have to make, but if it helps the work go forward I will continue to do it. The only problem is that, as can guess, I have been getting fat. :( I have started to have a visible "pancita"as they call it. (The literal translation is "little loaf or bread," and is equivalent to our saying "spare tire.") I only ask that you don't tease me too relentlessly. I am trying to make up for it with exercise and only eating really healthy for breakfast and lunch, but it has also been hard because Hermana Salazar has an injured knee and we can't run outside anymore. I haven't really been as preoccupied though about myself. My only worry is that I need to focus on being healthy still. :P If anything the people here would just love me even more if I was fat. That is one thing about Latin culture that is nice- they aren't nearly as prejudiced. Anyways, that was a really long tangent. I'm just saying, I hope you will all love me just as much, even when there is a little bit more of me to love. (Alright, it actually isn't that bad. Yet . . .)
I love how amazing it is being part of this missionary work. This week i experienced what Alma describes in Alma 29:9, where he talks about the joy that comes from seeing a soul repent and come unto Christ. It is so incredible to see people change, and see the happiness that comes to them from excepting the gospel.
I love you! Please keep praying for the missionary work, for the people who are investigating the church as well as the missionaries- it takes a lot of courage to change your life to come to the church. Have a great week!
Hermana Dansie
Where do I even start? This week has been incredible! I just got back from once a year Beach P-day with my zone, and it was so much fun! I thought it was going to be torturous, because they don't let you touch even the wet sand, but it was all planned out with a lot of fun activities. We played ultimate frisbee, volleyball, water balloon volleyball, and football. I have come to really love Volleyball, mostly because I got pretty good at it after playing everyday for eleven weeks in the MTC.
Yesterday at church we had the Sunday that every missionary dreams of. We had the cutest little family ever come with us- A mom and dad with their three adorable little children that all dressed up and even came early. We also had Mirna and her eighteen year old son Felix come. They are both very interested and read everything we give them and are preparing to get baptized on the 9th of next month. We also were surprised to have a man come that we met the other day. His name is Frank and he is about thirty and looks kind of like a gangster, but he is so excited and ready to learn about the gospel. He has changed his whole life around and has been wanting to learn about religion, and is so humble and amazing. He rode his bike to church even though he is still suffering from an old gunshot wound in his leg. (our area is pretty close to some really urban, ghetto areas like Compton- but not close enough to be dangerous, so don't worry.) They all loved church. It was fast and testimony meeting and the spirit was so incredibly strong. It was so amazing to see a lot of the members, less actives, and recent converts that we have been working with get up and bear their testimony. It was so crazy having almost more people than we could handle at the church, but it was such an incredible blessing. Any missionary knows how awful the feeling is of pacing outside in the foyer praying that their investigators will come to church, or better yet what we usually have to do is go and wake them up and help them get ready.
We also had a miracle this week with the Rodriguez family. They decided that they are ready to get baptized next Sunday! We've already taught them all of the lessons, and so we asked them to pray about it and they finally feel ready. They are such an amazing family! They came to the temple with Sunday afternoon to see the Joseph Smith movie. Once each transfer we go to present the movie and give temple tours, so our day was yesterday and they came, and we also had Ariadne (the girl who was baptized last month) and her grandma come to see the movie. The visitors center still isn't open, so they have a special living room type area in the mission home where we show the movie to investigators.
It was really interesting this week because last Monday I was thinking about my life and what I expect to happen after my mission, and I decided to just completely let go of every expectation of my future, and stop worrying or trying to control things so they will work out according to how I imagine them to be. After I made that decision to just completely trust in the Lord I feel like I was hit with this huge wave of success in the work. I still don't know how much it really is relating, but I do think that the Lord was trying to teach me the importance of truly trusting in him if i want to accomplish my purpose as a missionary. I've always wanted to come on a mission, and it is really interesting thinking about why and what drove me to come- especially when it has been hard and I haven't felt like I've been living up to my expectations for myself as a missionary. I think I realized that I can't do it on my own or control it at all really- if I have success it will be because the Lord blessed me with it. It is somewhat conditional, considering the Lord can only bless us when we are being obedient. When we are being obedient and when we are trusting him, then he can truly guide our lives.
This week also had an interesting mission "worst" for me so far- and that was the "worst and grossest thing I have ever had to eat in my mission/ life." We had some pasoli the other day, which in and of itself is not bad. It is kind of like a red soup, with these really big corn kernel things in it, and some sort of meat. I had it with chicken the other week and it was pretty good. This time though it was something else. I didn't ask at first- I just ate it. I assumed from the look and texture that it was probably menudo- which is cow stomach. So i prayed really hard and just ate it all. After i had eaten it, with a smile and showing my appreciation and gratitude, I commented how "I hadn't ever had menudo before, but I was surprised that it was pretty good." (yes, I lied. Well, the soup was really good- the meat was such a gross texture though- just like eating this quarter inch layer of fat). The Sister responded, "Actually that was pig ear, but yes it is pretty similar to menudo." I ate pig ear! I felt so gross for the entire day after. But I did it! I ate it. It is really important to eat all of the food they give you in order to have the support and love of the ward.
They really are so sweet and are such good cooks for the most part. The hardest thing is how much they give you. I feel so grossly stuffed after practically every dinner appointment, but at least they know that I love them. Part of it too is because I help Hermana Salazar out with eating hers. It is a sacrifice I have to make, but if it helps the work go forward I will continue to do it. The only problem is that, as can guess, I have been getting fat. :( I have started to have a visible "pancita"as they call it. (The literal translation is "little loaf or bread," and is equivalent to our saying "spare tire.") I only ask that you don't tease me too relentlessly. I am trying to make up for it with exercise and only eating really healthy for breakfast and lunch, but it has also been hard because Hermana Salazar has an injured knee and we can't run outside anymore. I haven't really been as preoccupied though about myself. My only worry is that I need to focus on being healthy still. :P If anything the people here would just love me even more if I was fat. That is one thing about Latin culture that is nice- they aren't nearly as prejudiced. Anyways, that was a really long tangent. I'm just saying, I hope you will all love me just as much, even when there is a little bit more of me to love. (Alright, it actually isn't that bad. Yet . . .)
I love how amazing it is being part of this missionary work. This week i experienced what Alma describes in Alma 29:9, where he talks about the joy that comes from seeing a soul repent and come unto Christ. It is so incredible to see people change, and see the happiness that comes to them from excepting the gospel.
I love you! Please keep praying for the missionary work, for the people who are investigating the church as well as the missionaries- it takes a lot of courage to change your life to come to the church. Have a great week!
Hermana Dansie
Monday, April 12, 2010
Maywood: Semana 10 / Mon. April 12, 2010
Hola querida familia!
So, I ran out of time on last week's e-mail, and ended up sounding really morbid and like I enjoy natural disasters. What i was trying to say and wanted to conclude with was just the difference in perspective you have as a missionary. We are constantly reminded that God is in charge and is taking care of everything and everyone. We have so many incredible experiences that reaffirm that every single day. We had a really amazing experience this week with the Rodriguez family, the one I told you last week we had kind of given up on because the mom said she couldn't get baptized. She decided to go to general conference, and we realized that she really does have an incredibly strong testimony of the church, but she just doesn't feel completely comfortable socially in the church yet, and for her the catholic church has been like her family. She really opened up to us and we learned about her life, and for a moment it was like we were able to see her more like our Heavenly Father sees her, and realized that we had been rushing her and she was afraid, but now she has recommitted to be baptized on the second of May.
Jose Martinez also was just confirmed this past Sunday, and it was a miracle as well, because he was supposed to get a ride with his family but they didn't take him, so we had to send someone to get him and he arrived literally just in the nic of time, literally. He is doing really well and loves studying the scriptures. We'll give him one chapter and he'll read three extra. It is still hard though not having his family as a good support system.
This Sunday was branch conference for the spanish branch. They asked Hermana Salazar and I to help with the ward choir, so I ended up conducting and she played the piano. It was so cute- they all decided to wear black to match and the men wore yellow ties and they had big beautiful yellow roses for corsages for the women. I love how they go all out. We'll see them preparing for the ward activities and the decorations and everything are pretty intense. They really know how to through a party here in Maywood. I'm excited to come back and visit someday. I love that the culture really is so passionate and fun-loving. We were definitely the best looking ward choir I've ever seen, and they were so sweet and sincere in their performance. It was a good breakthrough for us because we've had some trouble feeling love and support from the ward, but they were so happy to have our help. We showed up to the practice even it had only been our second backup plan, and they had been desperately trying to get a pianist to help them, so when we walked in they said "Our angels! You're an answer to our prayers." It was another way that God showed us that he knows what is most important, even when it doesn't seem that important to us, it was extremely important to them in that moment in time, and we were able to help and gain their trust and support, which I know will help us a lot.
Having the ward support and fellowship is so incredibly important, which is what we learned with the Rodriguez family. Someone can know that the church is true, but if they don't feel comfortable there and don't have friends their, then they're not going to go. Please remember that the next time you see a stranger at church! Just smile at them or do something to try and show them the love that is waiting for them in the church. Remember that as disciples of Jesus Christ we are striving to be a "window to his love." I know that all of you are so loving and don't really need that advice, I just look back and wish I would have done more to help and fellowship people, and been more aware of what was happening in the ward and how I could have helped. I feel like I was so clueless as to how the church really worked before my mission. I really don't know how people can learn some of things I'm learning without being here though. I know that I did not appreciate the experiences I heard of other missionaries at all. It is just such an interesting alternate reality.
I love how much I am learning from the Book of Mormon and all of my studies. I'm reading in Mosiah right now and I just read about the people of Limhi. Limhi is the son of King Noah, and he is righteous and good, but he and his people have to suffer the consequences of having rejected and killed the prophet Abinadi. They are enslaved by the Lamanites and have to pay tribute and go through a lot of abuse, and it seems unfair because the priests of Noah ran away and are hiding out in the wilderness missing out on all of the sufferering even though they were most at fault. I think it is interesting applying it to the process of repentance in our own lives. Sometimes it seems like it would be better just to run away or hide out and not face our sins, because it is hard to go through that process. In this story the people of Limhi are actually better off, even with all of their sufferings, because they become humbled and turn their lives over to the Lord. They have to completely surrender to God's will for them and his plan. I love reading and learning from the Book of Mormon. It is true how Ezra Taft Benson said "there is a power that will begin to flow into your lives the moment you start a serious study of the Book of Mormon." If you read the Book of Mormon every day it will change your life for the better, I promise, and the prophets promise, which means that God promises it will change your life, so you should do it!
I hope you are all remembering the things that are the most important and focusing your lives on what will bring you eternal happiness. I love thinking about how amazing it will be spending eternity with all of my incredible family. I like thinking and realizing that if we feel good about going to the temple here, then we would feel comfortable being with God after this life. We still have a long way to go, and a lot of things to refine, but in general I think that is a good measuring stick to have for this life. Live to be worthy to go to the temple, and go there often to be strengthened and prepared for whatever challenges come.
Thank you all for your love and support! Take care, and know that you are in my thoughts and prayers.
Love always,
Sister Jessica Dansie
So, I ran out of time on last week's e-mail, and ended up sounding really morbid and like I enjoy natural disasters. What i was trying to say and wanted to conclude with was just the difference in perspective you have as a missionary. We are constantly reminded that God is in charge and is taking care of everything and everyone. We have so many incredible experiences that reaffirm that every single day. We had a really amazing experience this week with the Rodriguez family, the one I told you last week we had kind of given up on because the mom said she couldn't get baptized. She decided to go to general conference, and we realized that she really does have an incredibly strong testimony of the church, but she just doesn't feel completely comfortable socially in the church yet, and for her the catholic church has been like her family. She really opened up to us and we learned about her life, and for a moment it was like we were able to see her more like our Heavenly Father sees her, and realized that we had been rushing her and she was afraid, but now she has recommitted to be baptized on the second of May.
Jose Martinez also was just confirmed this past Sunday, and it was a miracle as well, because he was supposed to get a ride with his family but they didn't take him, so we had to send someone to get him and he arrived literally just in the nic of time, literally. He is doing really well and loves studying the scriptures. We'll give him one chapter and he'll read three extra. It is still hard though not having his family as a good support system.
This Sunday was branch conference for the spanish branch. They asked Hermana Salazar and I to help with the ward choir, so I ended up conducting and she played the piano. It was so cute- they all decided to wear black to match and the men wore yellow ties and they had big beautiful yellow roses for corsages for the women. I love how they go all out. We'll see them preparing for the ward activities and the decorations and everything are pretty intense. They really know how to through a party here in Maywood. I'm excited to come back and visit someday. I love that the culture really is so passionate and fun-loving. We were definitely the best looking ward choir I've ever seen, and they were so sweet and sincere in their performance. It was a good breakthrough for us because we've had some trouble feeling love and support from the ward, but they were so happy to have our help. We showed up to the practice even it had only been our second backup plan, and they had been desperately trying to get a pianist to help them, so when we walked in they said "Our angels! You're an answer to our prayers." It was another way that God showed us that he knows what is most important, even when it doesn't seem that important to us, it was extremely important to them in that moment in time, and we were able to help and gain their trust and support, which I know will help us a lot.
Having the ward support and fellowship is so incredibly important, which is what we learned with the Rodriguez family. Someone can know that the church is true, but if they don't feel comfortable there and don't have friends their, then they're not going to go. Please remember that the next time you see a stranger at church! Just smile at them or do something to try and show them the love that is waiting for them in the church. Remember that as disciples of Jesus Christ we are striving to be a "window to his love." I know that all of you are so loving and don't really need that advice, I just look back and wish I would have done more to help and fellowship people, and been more aware of what was happening in the ward and how I could have helped. I feel like I was so clueless as to how the church really worked before my mission. I really don't know how people can learn some of things I'm learning without being here though. I know that I did not appreciate the experiences I heard of other missionaries at all. It is just such an interesting alternate reality.
I love how much I am learning from the Book of Mormon and all of my studies. I'm reading in Mosiah right now and I just read about the people of Limhi. Limhi is the son of King Noah, and he is righteous and good, but he and his people have to suffer the consequences of having rejected and killed the prophet Abinadi. They are enslaved by the Lamanites and have to pay tribute and go through a lot of abuse, and it seems unfair because the priests of Noah ran away and are hiding out in the wilderness missing out on all of the sufferering even though they were most at fault. I think it is interesting applying it to the process of repentance in our own lives. Sometimes it seems like it would be better just to run away or hide out and not face our sins, because it is hard to go through that process. In this story the people of Limhi are actually better off, even with all of their sufferings, because they become humbled and turn their lives over to the Lord. They have to completely surrender to God's will for them and his plan. I love reading and learning from the Book of Mormon. It is true how Ezra Taft Benson said "there is a power that will begin to flow into your lives the moment you start a serious study of the Book of Mormon." If you read the Book of Mormon every day it will change your life for the better, I promise, and the prophets promise, which means that God promises it will change your life, so you should do it!
I hope you are all remembering the things that are the most important and focusing your lives on what will bring you eternal happiness. I love thinking about how amazing it will be spending eternity with all of my incredible family. I like thinking and realizing that if we feel good about going to the temple here, then we would feel comfortable being with God after this life. We still have a long way to go, and a lot of things to refine, but in general I think that is a good measuring stick to have for this life. Live to be worthy to go to the temple, and go there often to be strengthened and prepared for whatever challenges come.
Thank you all for your love and support! Take care, and know that you are in my thoughts and prayers.
Love always,
Sister Jessica Dansie
Monday, April 5, 2010
Maywood: Semana 9 Mon 4/05/10
Hola Familia. :)
I don't have very much time to write this week. It has been kind of rough. We had a beautiful family progressing towards being baptized that told us that they can't- the mom decided for herself and her two daughters that they are only going to be baptized once in their live, and they already were in the Catholic church. She has a testimony of the Book of Mormon and knows the church is true, but she has convinced herself in her mind that both our church and the Catholic church are true. It is so hard to see someone decide not to change their life and accept the gospel, especially considering both of her daughters want to get baptized, but because the mom is afraid of changing her traditions she won't let them.
On a happier note, General Conference this week was so incredible! I hope you all listened and found knew guidance that you can apply to bless your lives. I love how candid the speakers were, especially with the importance of teaching and sharing the gospel in your home, and being open with your children in all aspects. I felt really blessed to have such a wonderful family- a father and mother that have taught me the gospel and shared their testimonies with me often. I love thinking about the family testimony meetings we would have. Everyone would kind of grumble and not want to do it, but I am so glad that I was able to hear your testimonies and feel the spirit in our home.
One of my favorite talks was Elder Jeffrey R. Holland's talk about love. It is so true- Satan is so evil. He is changing the way we see love by making other things seem more permissive. It doesn't matter what you do or how bad it is- if it is motivated by lust than it is destroying your perception of real, pure, Christlike love. The longer I am on my mission and the more I learn about the atonement the worse I feel about my former transgressions and things I have done in the past. Satan can only protect you from feeling the guilt through rationalizing for so long; everyone is going to have to face their sins someday. They don't just disappear when we pray and accept the atonement- we have to give them to Jesus Christ. A mission really is such an incredible opportunity to be able to see yourself fully and completely for who you really are. Our society focuses so much on individuality being the most important thing- but Christ tells us to "lose ourselves to find ourselves." When we are selfishly looking for just the things that make us happy, we miss our opportunities to sacrifice, turn ourselves over to the Lord, and learn who we really are, the person we have been for an eternity before this life, not just the "natural man" that we are here and the desires and appetites of our bodies. if we give in to everything we want, then we become "enemies to God" and we love any true and lasting eternal happiness. It is so important to have that eternal perspective.
I love teaching people about the plan of salvation- how God has a plan for us, and how there is a purpose to this life. With this plan you can overcome all fear and doubt. You don't even have to fear the earthquakes or natural disasters. It was kind of funny because we were tracting yesterday talking to a man in his doorway, and he was telling us that he doesn't want to study religion or learn about the bible, because he knows that what is says is true, and it tells all of the scary signs and things that are going to happen and he doesn't want to be afraid of what is going to happen. We told him that that is why it is important to prepared- so you don't need to fear. He wasn't really that interested, but then right at that moment we felt the earthquake ( the big one that happened in Mexico.) It was just a little shake here, but it was enough to get this man's attention and he really wants to learn about the gospel now. Sister Salazar likes to joke that when a natural disaster hits, secretly missionaries are happy because it turns people to God. Well, i love you all!
Sister Dansie
I don't have very much time to write this week. It has been kind of rough. We had a beautiful family progressing towards being baptized that told us that they can't- the mom decided for herself and her two daughters that they are only going to be baptized once in their live, and they already were in the Catholic church. She has a testimony of the Book of Mormon and knows the church is true, but she has convinced herself in her mind that both our church and the Catholic church are true. It is so hard to see someone decide not to change their life and accept the gospel, especially considering both of her daughters want to get baptized, but because the mom is afraid of changing her traditions she won't let them.
On a happier note, General Conference this week was so incredible! I hope you all listened and found knew guidance that you can apply to bless your lives. I love how candid the speakers were, especially with the importance of teaching and sharing the gospel in your home, and being open with your children in all aspects. I felt really blessed to have such a wonderful family- a father and mother that have taught me the gospel and shared their testimonies with me often. I love thinking about the family testimony meetings we would have. Everyone would kind of grumble and not want to do it, but I am so glad that I was able to hear your testimonies and feel the spirit in our home.
One of my favorite talks was Elder Jeffrey R. Holland's talk about love. It is so true- Satan is so evil. He is changing the way we see love by making other things seem more permissive. It doesn't matter what you do or how bad it is- if it is motivated by lust than it is destroying your perception of real, pure, Christlike love. The longer I am on my mission and the more I learn about the atonement the worse I feel about my former transgressions and things I have done in the past. Satan can only protect you from feeling the guilt through rationalizing for so long; everyone is going to have to face their sins someday. They don't just disappear when we pray and accept the atonement- we have to give them to Jesus Christ. A mission really is such an incredible opportunity to be able to see yourself fully and completely for who you really are. Our society focuses so much on individuality being the most important thing- but Christ tells us to "lose ourselves to find ourselves." When we are selfishly looking for just the things that make us happy, we miss our opportunities to sacrifice, turn ourselves over to the Lord, and learn who we really are, the person we have been for an eternity before this life, not just the "natural man" that we are here and the desires and appetites of our bodies. if we give in to everything we want, then we become "enemies to God" and we love any true and lasting eternal happiness. It is so important to have that eternal perspective.
I love teaching people about the plan of salvation- how God has a plan for us, and how there is a purpose to this life. With this plan you can overcome all fear and doubt. You don't even have to fear the earthquakes or natural disasters. It was kind of funny because we were tracting yesterday talking to a man in his doorway, and he was telling us that he doesn't want to study religion or learn about the bible, because he knows that what is says is true, and it tells all of the scary signs and things that are going to happen and he doesn't want to be afraid of what is going to happen. We told him that that is why it is important to prepared- so you don't need to fear. He wasn't really that interested, but then right at that moment we felt the earthquake ( the big one that happened in Mexico.) It was just a little shake here, but it was enough to get this man's attention and he really wants to learn about the gospel now. Sister Salazar likes to joke that when a natural disaster hits, secretly missionaries are happy because it turns people to God. Well, i love you all!
Sister Dansie
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